Jan. 14, 2009
For Virginia-specific information log on to the Virginia State Police Web site at http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Inauguration_2009.shtm.
Any motorists wishing to travel in or around Washington, D.C. on that day should stay informed about traffic and weather conditions by checking the following Web sites before traveling:
- District of Columbia’s Inaugural Web site http://www.inauguration.dc.gov/index.asp
- Official Inaugural Web site http://inaugural.senate.gov/2009/planyourtrip.cfm
- Washington Post http://voices.washingtonpost.com/inauguration-watch/transportation/
- WTOP Radio http://www.wtopnews.com/
- National Weather Service: http://www.weather.gov
Richmond trains residents in basic disaster preparedness
The city of Richmond’s Office of Emergency Management has created a training program to reduce the anxiety and losses that city residents experience during emergencies and to get an emergency supply kit into their hands. Unlike Community Emergency Response Team disaster response training, the four-hour “Survivor Day” provides basic preparedness training:
- Basic First Aid from the Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross
- Terrorism Awareness from the Richmond Police Department
- Basic Fire Safety from the Richmond Fire Department
- Weather-Related Disasters from the National Weather Service in Wakefield
Upon completion, participants receive a 72-hour “Survivor Kit” that contains basic supplies for a household to survive an emergency until help arrives. The Survivor Day program has grown to include exhibitors such as the city’s 311 call center, AmeriCorps, the American Red Cross, Richmond Animal Care and Control, CERT, Medical Reserve Corps and WRIR 97.3FM (official emergency broadcaster for the city) to provide information about disaster preparedness. Richmond OEM has trained nearly 1,000 residents since the quarterly program started in August 2007 using federal grant funding for public outreach/education and training activities.
More information about Survivor Day is available at http://www.richmondgov.com/departments/EmergencyManagement.
FEMA launches new disaster assistance Web site
FEMA has created a new online portal for disaster victims to access critical disaster assistance. The site, http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov, eliminates the need for disaster victims to search through multiple federal programs to find the help they need. The new Web site will centralize the application process for federal disaster assistance and offer information on assistance programs administered at the federal, state and local levels. Individuals may still go to http://www.FEMA.gov for information; those who apply for assistance online, however, will be redirected to the new Web site.
FEMA partnered with 16 federal agencies to create the site, which helps to fulfill Executive Order 13411, issued by President Bush after Hurricane Katrina in an effort to improve delivery of federal disaster assistance. Initially, the site will include only limited forms of federal assistance, but it will expand over the coming months to include forms of assistance at all levels of government as well as nonprofit organizations.
Emergency Operations Center Grant Program
Local governments can compete for $1 million to construct or $250,000 to renovate emergency operations centers through the 2008 EOC Grant Program. There will be one award per state, and funds cannot be used to construct or renovate fusion centers.
The grant application and guidelines are available at http://www.vaemergency.com/grants.
All documentation must be submitted through each locality’s chief administrative officer to VDEM by Feb. 6. Only one submission per local government will be accepted. FEMA will evaluate applications and recommend awards by the end of September 2009.
For more information, contact the VDEM Grants Management Office at (804) 897-6500.
Final NIMS document released
FEMA has released the final version of the National Incident Management System document, which has been revised since 2006 to incorporate best practices and lessons learned from recent incidents, clarify concepts and principles, and refine processes and terminology throughout the document. A wide range of feedback was incorporated while maintaining the core concepts of NIMS, and no major policy changes were made to the document since its initial publication in 2004. The four year revision period made several improvements, including those listed below.
- Eliminated redundancy
- Reorganized document to emphasize that NIMS is more than the Incident Command System
Clarified ICS concepts - Increased emphasis on planning and added guidance on mutual aid
- Clarified roles of private sector, NGOs, and chief elected and appointed officials
- Expanded the Intelligence/Investigation function
- Highlighted relationship between NIMS and National Response Framework
The NIMS document puts forth criteria that federal, state, territorial, tribal and local governments must meet in order to obtain federal funding. NIMS requirements streamline communications, training and resource management between levels of emergency responders.
ARCA elects new president
The Amateur Radio Communications Auxiliary recently elected VDEM Operations Lead Watch Officer Chris Bruce to serve as president. ARCA is the volunteer amateur radio group that supports Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services in the Virginia Emergency Operations Center. In addition, two new members joined the group, bringing membership to 28.
During disasters, amateur radio is a vital communications link both within the Commonwealth and the entire country. For more information about VDEM's amateur radio communication plans, contact State Amateur Radio Liaison Terry Hebert at (804) 371-4507 or terry.hebert@vdem.virginia.gov.
February workshop to examine evacuation of disabled
This free, two-day workshop will examine current and potential new standards for evacuation of disabled people during emergencies. "Emergency Preparedness for Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs" will address two specific areas:
- What building standards for shelters are in place for the disabled, and what standards should be developed?
- What procedures and equipment do the disable require, and what standards should be developed?
The American National Standards Institute’s Homeland Security Standards Panel organizes the workshop in coordination with the National Organization on Disability’s Emergency Preparedness Initiative and the National Fire Protection Association’s Disability Access Review and Advisory Committee. The workshop will be held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel on the Gallaudet University campus in Washington, D.C.
Advance registration is required. To register, e-mail participant names and contact information to HSSP@ansi.org by Jan. 19. For more information, contact Jessica Carl, ANSI's Homeland Security Standards Panel program administrator, at jcarl@ansi.org or (212) 642-4903.
Training…
Technical Emergency Response and Hospital Leadership training available
FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness is offering Technical Emergency Response Training and Healthcare Leadership and Administrative Decision Making courses.
- TERT provides first responders, emergency managers, public works and public safety staff with an overview of the terrorist threat, potential targets and chemical, biological, radiological and explosive hazards. The four-day class includes hands-on exercises to teach decontamination and triage procedures at the world’s only toxic chemical training facility dedicated solely to emergency responders: the Chemical, Ordinance, Biological, and Radiological Training Facility. Prerequisites and registration information are available at https://cdp.dhs.gov/resident/tert.html.
- Healthcare Leadership and Administrative Decision Making provides healthcare responders an opportunity to practice decision-making during disasters at the Noble Training Facility, a hospital that has been converted into a medical and mass casualty training site. The four-day course combines lectures and exercises, and provides an overview of the Incident Command System, the National Incident Management System and the Hospital Incident Command System, decontamination procedures in a healthcare facility and public relations. Prerequisites and registration information are available at https://cdp.dhs.gov/resident/hcl.html.
EMI releases three new courses
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute has revised IS-700, “NIMS: An Introduction,” to reflect the concepts and principles of the National Response Framework and renamed it IS-700a. All students must now submit the revised exam forms for IS-700a. Students who have already passed the IS-700 exam do not need to retake it for NIMS compliance, though the new class covers changes in the NIMS document that past students may wish to review.
In addition, EMI is now offering new 800-level classes to support emergency operations center staff training, including IS-805, “Emergency Support Function #5 – Emergency Management” and IS-814, “Emergency Support Function #14 – Long Term Community Recovery.”
All three classes are available online at http://training.fema.gov/is.
Security training for schools and campuses available
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services’ Virginia Center for School Safety is offering two free classes to school administrators, security officers and other school safety personnel.
- Violence Prevention and Safety in Schools: Law and Policy Issues addresses security issues in K-12 schools, such as cyber-bullying and search and seizure under Virginia law, among other topics.
- Violence Prevention and Safety on Campus: Law and Policy Issues addresses security issues in colleges and universities, such as the legal duty to provide emergency notification, and rapid response planning, among other topics.
EM Update is the best way to communicate best practices and to get a heads up on issues that might affect you. Articles include case studies, cost/resource-saving local programs, examples of partnerships and regional cooperation and recognition of emergency managers who receive awards and honors in the field.
Please don't hesitate to contact the editor whenever you have a project that might benefit localities or want to highlight an important issue concerning Virginia's emergency response community. Contact Jolie Shank at (804) 897-6510 or by e-mail at pio@vdem.virginia.gov.
Produced
by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management
10501 Trade Court, Richmond, Virginia 23236